April 2005

“Piano man transforms Salty's into swanky cabaret”

Read the Seattle Times article from March 25, 2005 by Tom Scanlon at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2002218455_nite25.html?syndication=rss

2005 Washington wine restaurant award winners include both Alki and Redondo

SEATTLE—The third annual Washington Wine Restaurant Awards, hosted on March 14 by the Washington Wine Commission and the Seattle Times Company, honored 51 Washington restaurants for their commitment to supporting the Washington wine industry. The program recognizes restaurants that use innovative methods of showcasing Washington's quality wines.

And the Award Goes to.... Top honors, the Washington Wine First Awards, went to 32 restaurants for designating a Washington wine section, showcasing more than 35 percent of Washington wines on the wine list and more than 50 percent on the wine by the glass list. Both Salty’s on Alki and Salty’s at Redondo won at this level in the fine dining category.

Salty's on Alki also won the award for Best Restaurant Marketing Promotion for its "Washington vs. the World" tasting promotion and series of appearances on nationally syndicated radio show, "Have Wine Will Travel." Salty's is also honored for its ongoing commitment to hosting innovative Washington Wine Month promotions, including "Sexiest Syrah" and "Riesling Taste-Off."

“Kudos to Salty’s Sommelier Tim O’Brien, and Salty’s Redondo Operations and Beverage Director Veronica Smith,” says Eileen Mintz, Salty’s spokesperson.

Redondo wins Federal Way Mirror best seafood restaurant and best brunch

FEDERAL WAY—The readers of the Federal Way Mirror cast their vote for Salty’s at Redondo. Salty’s won for Best Seafood Restaurant and Best Sunday Brunch. Salty’s also garnered 2nd place for Best Bar.

Oddly, last year Salty’s was missing from the winners list. We discovered it was because someone decided Des Moines restaurants couldn’t win a Federal Way award. Executive Chef Gabriel Cabrera, pictured here proudly displaying the award plaques, says, “Salty’s is on the border between the Des Moines and Federal Way. We’re glad they changed their mind!”

In years past and for several years in a row, Salty’s has also won for Best Place to Propose. Cabrera responds with, “We guess the romantics are now heading for that ‘swanky cabaret’ up north, Salty’s on Alki.” He’s, of course, referring to the Seattle Times article (see above).

Just for the halibut: Pancetta-wrapped halibut with sauce puttanesca

By Jeremy McLachlan, Executive Chef, Salty’s on the Columbia

Every April I get excited because I know that fresh Alaskan halibut is on its way. It is one of the most versatile of fish and a great signature item for the Pacific Northwest.

Halibut is one of my favorite fishes to work with because it is delicate and flavorful with a slight sweetness. You can use so many different cooking techniques: Braising, poaching, grilling, searing, and frying. I like to serve halibut a touch undercooked so that it doesn’t dry out.

Of course we want you to come into Salty’s and enjoy our halibut dishes this Spring, but when you can’t make it in, here’s a great recipe to try at home.

Pancetta-Wrapped Halibut  with Sauce Puttanesca (Serves 2)

The Sauce:
3 pounds Roma tomatoes
2 gallons water
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
6 ounces chopped red onion
4 tablespoons garlic, minced
6 ounces Kalamata olives, halved
4 tablespoons capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons anchovy, minced
1 1/2 cups white wine
1/4 bunch basil, chopped
salt to taste
2 pounds spaghetti or noodles, cooked
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large pot. Have a bowl of ice water ready. Take each tomato and cut an X in the bottom. Place the tomatoes in the boiling water for 5 minutes then place in the ice water. After the tomatoes are chilled, peel the skin off, then cut each in half and remove the seeds. Rough chop the tomatoes.

In a large sauce pan add the oil over medium heat. Cook the onion for 3 minutes then add the garlic, olives, capers, and anchovy. Add the white wine and cook until you cannot smell any alcohol. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes more or until soft. Finish the sauce with fresh basil and salt to taste.

When plating the dish heat the sauce with the noodles and top with Parmesan cheese.

The Halibut:
2 each 8-oz. fresh Alaskan halibut fillets
dash of pepper
2 ounces pancetta, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Season each halibut fillet lightly with pepper. Wrap each fillet with pancetta and make sure the pancetta is not overlapping. In a sauté pan add the oil and heat to medium high. Sear the halibut on one side and flip. Place the halibut in the oven for 5 minutes.

Recipe Notes:
Use bacon or prosciutto in place of the pancetta if you like. If you are counting carbs serve this dish without the pasta. Any extra sauce can be saved for eating cold or hot.

Cooking Tips on Halibut
When you buy halibut, make sure it is fresh and not bruised. Do not overcook halibut. It is better to undercook and let it rest (it shouldn’t be dry).  Pair halibut with a light sauce,  nothing too heavy.

Mintz-Her Words

By Eileen Mintz, Public Relations Spokesperson for Salty’s

We were honored by Radio Host Tami Michaels’ invitation to talk food and wine on her live radio show “Homefront” on 570 KVI. Salty’s Group Executive Chef Dan Thiessen and Sommelier Tim O’Brien talked food and wine with panache.

 “I love having Chef Dan Thiessen on my show,” says Michaels (see photo). “He’s brilliant about cooking and yet he doesn't take himself too seriously. We laughed and had fun. It made for some great radio." See more below in Food and Wine Talk. And be sure to catch “Homefront” with Tami every Saturday, Noon to 2 p.m. on 570 KVI (www.tamimichaels.com).

Don’t miss Taste Washington, an epicurean delight featuring the wines and foods of the Pacific Northwest. Thanks to dedicated gourmands like you, Taste Washington grows each year. In 2005, Taste Washington continues its three-day festival format. Wine and food seminars for the novice and the scholar are presented by leading experts at Bell Harbor International Conference Center on Saturday April 9, 2005. There’s a Magnum Kick-Off Party on Friday, April 8, where you can mingle with 60 Washington vintners and enjoy an affordable, fun silent auction at Bell Harbor International Conference Center.

Visit Salty’s Group Chef Dan Thiessen,  Alki Pastry Chef Jane Gibson and Sommelier Tim O'Brien on the last day, Sunday April 10, 2005. This day will feature 165 Washington winemakers and 100 top chefs, a fresh shellfish bar, a dessert cafe, flavor wheels tasting bars, Viking cooking stations, book signings and more. This annual gathering of the Washington wine and restaurant communities showcases the bounty of the state's quality wine and food. The doors open at 5:00 p.m. at Quest Field Event Center. 

While attendees enjoy the talents of winemakers and chefs, they will also be supporting Taste Washington beneficiaries, including wine and culinary scholarships, FareStart and the Washington Wine Education Foundation. Find out more at www.tastewashington.org. I’ll see you there!

In Oregon, don’t miss Columbia Executive Chef Jeremy McLachlan at the “Legislator and Chef Mystery Basket Cook Off.” This event is at the Northwest Foodservice Show on Sunday, April 17, at Noon. Legislators are paired with chefs and given a mystery basket of ingredients and they must create the best dish in only one hour, “Iron Chef” style. Celebrity judges will taste and will award a prize to the winning team.

This annual Foodservice Show is held April 17, 18 and 19 and offers seminars, a chef demonstration area, competitions, 600 exhibit booths and 12,000 attendees from all over Oregon. It's held at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. For more information, go to www.foodshownw.com.

Listen for Salty’s Chefs and Sommelier Tim O’Brien on the radio talk show “Have Wine Will Travel” with Doc Cummings. This wine talk radio show is Saturdays on KKNW 1150 AM (usually 2:00 to 2:30 p.m.). The host Doc Cummings is known as the “real” Doctor Vino. For more, go to www.newschannel1150.com.

Redondo’s Executive Chef Gabriel Cabrera has a new Ballpark Seafood Platter for Mariners fans. He says, “It makes Redondo a great place to watch the games.” The platter includes 4 ounces each of Cumin-Spiced Calamari, Cajun Popcorn Shrimp & Clam Strips for $12.95. Operations Manager Veronica Smith recommends a Pyramid Curve Ball on tap at $3.89. “It’s got that perfect affinity for our seafood and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg,” says Smith. Catch it at Redondo Beach every game day (available in their Café-Bar/Deck only).

Redondo’s Café-Bar also features live music Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, starting at 9:00 p.m. The Top 40’s music is presented by a variety of musicians including Poodlebomb, Myles Crew, Mike McDonnell, Dan James, Phil Slater and Justin Hayes. (Call in advance for specific schedules.) So be sure to visit Redondo’s Bar-Café unless you’re hankering for a ‘swanky cabaret,’ in which case you should go to Alki (as everyone now  knows thanks to Tom Scanlon at the Seattle Times)

Food Talk

By Dan Thiessen, Salty’s Group Executive Chef dthiessen@saltys.com

As Tim and I headed to the broadcast booth, trailing behind the cheerful Tami Michaels, we were at ease. Friends had asked if we would be nervous and the answer was “NO.”  Tim and I have worked on radio events in the past, and the only difference this time: It was live. But I knew we had good synergy going for us. 

The callers had some great questions for us: “How do I grill fish?” (Make sure the grill is piping hot and use canola oil.) “How do I cook lobster – mine is always tough!” (Boiling just about any fresh seafood item for 20 minutes will make it so.)

And then we were on to food and wine pairing questions. Tim and I agree that there are many right answers and the important thing to remember: It has to work for you! You are the true judge for enjoying food and wine. 

There are as many variations in food preparation as there are food products. When all is said and done and your dinner is coming to a close, only you know if you followed the recipe!  So have fun and try new things. Sometimes you learn how to do things right by doing them wrong in the first place!

After the show ended, I discovered a caller had been on hold for 57 minutes waiting to talk to me. His wife was desperately seeking a long-time favorite Salty’s appetizer dish that she was having difficulty replicating. Here it is:

Salty’s Coconut Prawns with Thai Chili Sauce (Serves 4)

24 ea. 21-25 count prawns, peeled and deveined
2 ounces all-purpose flour
1 cup tempura batter, made with beer
2 cups coconut flakes (Baker’s Tender Fresh)

Butterfly the prawns so that they lay flat when open. Toss with flour until completely coated. Add tempura batter and coat with coconut flakes pressing the prawns flat. It’s best to let them rest for 2 hours before cooking. Heat canola oil to 375 degrees and fry prawns until light golden brown.

Thai Chili Sauce:
1 cup Chili Sauce
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 ounces sugar

Combine all ingredients and store in refrigerator.
See you in the kitchen!

Wine Talk

By Tim O’Brien, Salty’s Sommelier tobrien@saltys.com

So there I was on air with an oversized microphone dangling in my face and the lines lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree. It felt like a fork in the road of my life. So I took Casey Stengal’s advice, “When you come to the fork in the road, TAKE IT.”

I am a spontaneous person. That is what worried me about this live radio opportunity and that is why people who knew me tuned in. They had no idea what I might say. They shouldn’t have worried. The people who called had a genuine interest and enthusiasm for wine, and I liked them too much to yell at them.

The questions: What about the new screw top enclosures? (I am a enthusiastic supporter.) What goes with Johannisberg Riesling? (Almost everything.) Real questions from real people.

My advice: Listen to yourself, try wine, and drink what you prefer. I am not sure how today’s wine publications took control of America’s palate but it’s time to take it back.

The wine industry is complicated and intense and competitive and difficult. The complexity of wine production is unbelievable. There are hundreds of factors that determine the quality of a wine. It is intimidating and somewhat miraculous.

The only thing about wine that is easy: Deciding what you like. You don’t have to read consumer reports or worry about side effects or history or the future. The wine decision is in the present. Block out all other factors; focus on the wine, not the label or the price or the ratings. Just taste and decide thumbs up or thumbs down. It is a beverage. Enjoy another taste or pour it out.

There is more than one right answer to almost every question. Keep asking questions, keep in the game. Just remember that the aim of the game is to please yourself and that is a very important life skill to have.

On Alki Beach
(206) 937-1600
1936 Harbor Ave. SW
Seattle, WA 98126

At Redondo Beach
(253) 946-0636
28201 Redondo Beach Dr. S.
Des Moines, WA 98198

On the Columbia River
(503) 288-4444
3839 N.E. Marine Drive,
Portland, OR 97211